Despite recent technological and economic advances in the fields of renewable energy, the world still obtains the majority of its energy needs from traditional fuels, such as oil and natural gas. Drilling new wells is a costly and time-consuming endeavor. Consequently, it is desirable to be able to predict the performance characteristics of new wells. In this way, the time and money spent on well planning, drilling, and operational activities can be focused on higher productivity wells that exhibit lower drilling costs, lower operational costs, and increased operational safety.